But the teachers felt David should be working harder to catch up on all the time he's missed, and made him one of the three on probation.

'Lacks inner energy'

He's up against 18-year-old Katie Lewis, who was on probation last week too, and Camilla Beeput.

The teachers said Katie lacks confidence. One teacher said: "I don't think her voice will develop. She's delightful as a person but she lacks inner energy."

And they said Camilla needed to "raise her game" or face being kicked out.

Q Awards

All three must now 'sing for survival' on Friday night's live show on BBC1.

This week's A-grade student is Ainslie Henderson, whose prize was to go to the Q Music Awards in London on Monday night. He was allowed to pick one fellow contestant to go with him - and he chose Malachi.